Positioning objects around a sphere
Instead of working under a Mirror modifier, on 24 nozzles, you could be working under an Array modifier, on 1.


Cut out 1/48 of your spaceship. (If necessary, P temporarily split off the part of your spaceship you don't want to be duplicated in rotation)
Set up a rotational array: Object offset only, targeted on an empty at the spaceship origin, rotated through 360/48 degrees, 'Merge' and 'First and Last' checked
Get to work on the nozzle(s)




It can help to keep a copy of the torus before cutting the piece out, to Shrinkwrap to. In the cut-out section, create a Vertex Group of the vertices you want to remain on the surface of the original torus. Assign a Shrinkwrap modifier to the section, target the intact torus,affecting only that Vertex Group.